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In the News: Great Falls Tribune February 27, 2024

Supreme Court approves copper mine near edge of beloved Smith River

Jenny Harbine, Managing Attorney, Northern Rockies Office: “Montanans and the wildlife who depend on pristine water quality and adequate flows in the Smith River deserve no less than the full protections afforded by these laws.”

In the News: KRBD February 27, 2024

Alaska Tribes accuse Canada of human rights violations, request international hearing on mining

Mae Manupipatpong, Attorney, International Program: “Toxic water pollution doesn’t stop at the Canadian border. And human rights obligations don’t either.”

The Smith River in Montana is beloved for trout fishing and rafting. (Pat Clayton /  fisheyeguyphotography.com)
Press Release February 26, 2024

Montana Supreme Court Overturns District Court Ruling That Blocked Mine’s Operating Permit

Separate challenge to Black Butte Copper Mine’s water rights could still prevent mining

Document February 26, 2024

Smith River Copper Mine – MEPA Decision

The Montana Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sandfire Resources and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, reinstating the operating permit for the proposed 1,888-acre Black Butte Copper Mine in the Smith River watershed.

View of the Tulsequah River, looking east towards the confluence with Taku River.
(Photo courtesy of Chris Miller / Trout Unlimited)
Press Release February 19, 2024

Alaska Tribes facing BC mining threat ask for international hearing

SEITC briefs the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights on Canada’s violations

Document February 19, 2024

SEITC Observations on the Merits of BC Mines Case

A group of Alaska Tribes with roots along Canada’s transboundary rivers, the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC), submitted a brief to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights requesting a hearing on the looming threats of several risky and under-regulated gold mines in British Columbia.

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. (iStock)
Press Release: Victory February 14, 2024

Mining Proposal Rejected for Maine’s Katahdin Region

Decision comes after overwhelming opposition from Wabanaki Tribes, local businesses, and conservation groups

The U.S. Capitol building. (Architect of the Capitol)
Press Release February 6, 2024

Earthjustice Blasts House Natural Resources Committee Markup of Mining Regulatory Clarity Act

“It’s long past time to update the antiquated 1872 hardrock mining law, but the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act is not the solution.”

In the News: KRBD February 2, 2024

Alaska Native Tribes pressure Canada for rights in Unuk River mining project

Ramin Pejan, Attorney, International Program: “The ownership of the Unuk River and the territory and the use of that river is integral to their culture, to their subsistence. It goes back thousands of years before these borders were in place.”

Black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern train, Feb. 6, 2023. If the fossil fuel industry gets its way, many more trains will pass through the region soon, adding to a slew of environmental threats posed by the industry’s plans for the Ohio River Valley.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Article February 2, 2024

Putting a Lid on Plastics Production in the Ohio River Valley

Residents are challenging industry’s petrochemicals push into the region, and Earthjustice’s legal strategy has helped them notch an early win.

Storm clouds pass over the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Architect of the Capitol)
Press Release January 31, 2024

As House Natural Resources Committee Debates Mining Bill, Earthjustice Urges Meaningful Reforms, Not Industry Handouts

The bill would make it easier for mining companies and individuals to stake claim on public lands without the existence of valid mineral claim

Document January 31, 2024

Opposition Letter: HNRC Mining Regulatory Clarity Act

Conservation, climate, Indigenous and tribal-affiliated organizations call on representatives in Congress to oppose HR. 2925, the so-called “Mining Regulatory Clarity Act.”

Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of southeast Alaska. (USGS)
Press Release January 30, 2024

Alaska Native Tribes Press B.C. for Rights Amid Reckless Gold Rush

Tlingit Tribes originating along the Unuk River want a say in risky mining proposals

Document January 30, 2024

Map: Sàanyàa Ḵwáan Traditional Territory in Unuk River Watershed (Jòonax̱)

Prepared for Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC) as part of a petition submitted to Canadian environmental regulators affirming their historic presence along the Unuk River, which is threatened by rapidly expanding transboundary mining.

In the News: Grist January 22, 2024

Oil companies used to run this town. Now they’re back — to mine for lithium.

Blaine Miller-McFeeley, Senior Legislative Representative, Policy & Legislation: “These oil and gas and coal companies are greenwashing themselves by saying the way they’ve always done mining, which is the destructive, toxic way, is the solution to climate change.”

View of the Tulsequah River, looking east towards the confluence with Taku River.
(Photo courtesy of Chris Miller / Trout Unlimited)
case January 10, 2024

Defending Watersheds in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia from Impacts of Mining

The Taku, Stikine, and Unuk rivers flow across the Canada-United States border, from headwaters in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia through Southeast Alaska to the sea. These watersheds are some of the largest and most productive salmon habitats remaining in the world. Alaska Native and First Nations peoples have harvested salmon and caribou from…

Press Release January 9, 2024

Environmental Organizations Urge More Study and Stronger Regulations on Remining to Protect Communities and the Environment

A new report recommends guardrails before remining can be a safe and sustainable source for clean energy.

Electric vehicles charging in Crosswinds, S.C. (Myrtle Beach, TheDigitel / CC BY 2.0)
Press Release December 12, 2023

Environmental Groups Urge Policymakers to Ensure Responsible Sourcing of EV Minerals and Secure Supply Chains

Letter to U.S. Senate leadership calls for implementation of interagency recommendations, with strong oversight for mining of minerals used in EV batteries